Focus on climate crisis
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Reporting on climate change is one of the major journalistic challenges of our time. The climate crisis is also one of the most important issues of humanity for SPIEGEL. For this reason, we support an international initiative that seeks to take a look this week: "Covering Climate Now" has been initiated by the Columbia Journalism Review and the Canadian newspaper "The Nation", with more than 200 media companies worldwide including the Guardian, El País, La Repubblica, The Times of India, Bloomberg or Vanity Fair. SPIEGEL is dedicating the cover story of the current issue to the climate crisis this week and every day pays special attention to mirror.de
You do not get too close to Markus Söder with the observation that you've already experienced him more awake than this Friday afternoon. The CSU leader and Bavarian prime minister has such small eyes after the almost 20-hour negotiation marathon in the coalition committee, as if he had watched all parts of his favorite movie series "Star Wars" at one go.
But up there on the podium Berliner "Futurium" he does not even make the most tired impression when the top representatives of the CDU, CSU and SPD present themselves after the agreement on their climate package: The two gentlemen on the other side of the podium can only keep their eyes open keep open with difficulty. SPD parliamentary leader Rolf Mützenich seems to nod several times during the detailed input statements by Chancellor Angela Merkel, while his Union colleague Ralph Brinkhaus blinks against the microsleep.
All agree this afternoon that the hardships were not in vain. On the contrary, the Union and the Social Democrats are inspired by what they have gathered in a 22-page key issues paper in order to accelerate climate protection in Germany and reach the 2030 targets (read more about the resolutions here).
The "Futurium" is particularly suitable, according to Merkel, because the permanent installation of the museum depicts the ecological footprint of humans. Sustainably improving this balance sheet for Germany is what the climate package is all about. And, of course, also to offer something to the "Fridays for Future" demonstrators who are taking to the streets in Berlin in record numbers on this day, and finally to oppose the Greens as a political opponent of the GroKo parties.
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Global Climate Strike: "There are no jobs on a dead planet"In any case, the eight top politicians of the coalition are almost hilarious in the face of their decisions. That may be because they have a kind of compressed class trip behind them, the coalitioners have been through night and morning at the Chancellery. In the end, they got into his limousine for the short drive to the "Futurium" in three minibuses instead of each.
That welds together. Just like the fierce criticism that can be heard around noon from the Greens and environmental associations, as the resolutions are not yet known in detail.
Especially with the CSU one is of the opinion that the GroKo with the climate conclusions "impressively reported back", as party leader Söder says. "We were in love with success," says country group chief Alexander Dobrindt. The coalition passed the litmus test, which was formulated in recent weeks in connection with the climate package. Chancellor Merkel repeatedly points to the compromise character of politics, which is also reflected in the resolutions.
In fact, the coalitioners not only had to come to terms with each other, but also include those who were not represented in the Chancellery: those citizens who do not want to be overburdened because of the climate - and those who can not afford the changes big enough.
SPD negotiators are also satisfied
The SPD is also relieved. The decisions were "dimensioned much larger than many have thought in recent days," says Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Olaf Scholz. The coalition had accepted the challenges. Interim party leader Malu Dreyer says the climate package will be part of the Coalition's planned midterm review. The party will get a picture, "that we have done a lot".
But just how justified this confidence is can hardly be said at the SPD at the moment. Since the resignation of Andrea Nahles there is a leadership vacuum, in a marathon process, the comrades are currently looking for a new party leadership. Scholz also applies as the new chairman, together with the Brandenburg-born Klara Geywitz.
Scholz, the Minister of Finance, just like the Union, wanted to forego new debt when financing the climate package, ie to keep the so-called black zero. But among the seven SPD candidate duels Scholz and Geywitz are the only ones who stick to the concept of balanced households. There are many among the Social Democrats who would like to sacrifice black zeal for more investment in infrastructure and climate protection.
In the video: assessments of the GroKo climate package
AXEL SCHMIDT / AFP; THE MIRROR
Also with CDU and CSU is not all well after this Friday. The sister parties are reconciled to each other after the fierce clashes in the wake of the refugee crisis. But both are struggling to defend their status as the last remaining popular parties in Germany.
Especially the CDU. This is partly because they have - unlike the now fully tailored to the chairman Söder CSU - a party leader with significant authority problems.
But Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer also has to pay for the fact that the Christian Democrats have lost any programmatic profile under chairman Merkel. Kramp-Karrenbauer has driven her party over the past few months to make it possible to speak again in terms of climate policy. But even in Thuringia threatened in the state election in late October, another disappointment, which should lead to new staff debates.
Local election will be Söder's next test
And even with the CSU, the situation is not rosy: Söder has also brought his party on the eco-course in recent months, but also that will not help the Christsozialen to old size, but the competition of the Greens and the AfD is too strong. The local election next year will be Söder's next test.
The parties of the Grand Coalition have become small and too self-absorbed to make powerful policies. This is reflected in the end with their climate package, as much as they celebrate in the Berlin "Futurium".
In the end, the installation in the Zukunftshaus raises fundamental questions about how humanity deals with the planet and its way of life. But such questions will keep your fingers off this coalition.
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